Richmond Hill Fire Chief Ralph Catlett retires

Wednesday

The news that Richmond Hill Fire Chief Ralph Catlett was retiring 45 years as a firefighter was quickly followed by those lauding his accomplishments Tuesday.

“Chief what you have done for this fire department is phenomenal. Councilmember (Jan) Bass said last week that ‘he brought us into the 21st century,’ that was a very good description of the accomplishments in four and one-half short years...We will surely and sorely miss you, you are probably are next to irreplaceable,” said Richmond Hill Mayor Russ Carpenter in announcing Catlett’s retirement during the meeting of the City Council Dec. 5.

David Williams, RHFD division chief, confirmed that Catlett was indeed leaving the department better than he found it while presenting the chief with his helmet as a token of appreciation.

“He has produced a much better fire department than he inherited five years ago. We are truly going to miss you and we thank you,” Williams said.

When it came Catlett’s turn to speak, he was brief.

“I always believed in leaving things better than what I found, so I hope I have done that for you, I will miss you guys, but I won’t be a stranger, thank you,” Catlett said

Catlett’s career as a firefighter dates back to 1973 in Winchester, Va.

“I was a volunteer there and a buddy of mine, we graduated together, ... we decided to go into the Air Force as firefighters. … I ended up staying for 20 (years),” he said.

Catlett, a veteran of both Desert Shield and Desert Storm, was stationed at Moody Air Force base near Valdosta when he retired.

“After I retired from the military I went to work for Lowndes County, they had nine fire departments throughout the county and about 250 volunteer firefighters. I was the only paid guy. We consolidated all nine departments, got it built up. I did that for about five years and then I went to work for the Valdosta Fire Department as a battalion chief,” he said.

After 13 years at the Valdosta Fire Department Catlett became the Richmond Hill Fire Chief in 2014 and immediately saw changes wanted to make.

“It wasn’t what I was accustomed to,” he said. “But the greatest thing about this job is the city manager, and they mayor and (city) council. I am probably the only fire chief in history that their mayor and council had never said no to on anything I asked for. Because they saw a need there, they wanted to improve their fire department. We worked really well together,” said Catlett.

The first thing he tackled, with the assistance of the city’s department heads, was creating an emergency operations plan for the city to still function in the event of a hurricane or other disaster.

“I am real proud of that,” he said “But I didn’t know we were going to put it into effect the very next year.”

Another accomplishment was reducing the city’s Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating.

“When I got here the rating was a 4, just a point or two away from being a 5. We worked hard and got some more people in, upgraded the equipment, started testing the fire hydrants in the town, doing pre-fire plans with all the businesses, the sort of things ISO looks for.

“ISO came in and we raised our score almost 17 points and dropped the ISO to a 3. That is unheard of in the ISO realm. …,” he said.

ISO provides statistical information on risk. ISO ratings run from 10 - 1, with 1 being the best. The lower the rating the lower homeowners insurance premiums are in most cases.

During Catlett’s command upgrades to equipment, as well as the renovation of Station 1, also took place.

But what Catlett says he is most proud of the support he had from the mayor and council and the department’s community efforts.

“Those guys are great,” he said.

“The community things that we put together. Everybody around charges for CPR classes, we don’t. We do CPR classes, public safety education, smoke detector program - we will go out and install smoke detectors free of charge. That is working with other organizations like the Exchange Club, they just gave us a check for $250 to go out and buy more smoke detectors to keep that program up and running.

“I think the involvement in the community is probably the biggest thing. We have really reached out to the community. We do that Spring Fling fundraiser every year, that is for special needs children. So we can give them a good Christmas. We do a big Christmas party for them, have Santa Claus there. And buy gifts for them.”

But in the end it will be the people he worked with he will miss the most Catlett said.

“I am going to miss mayor and council, in my opinion they have the city going in the right direction. The department heads. … A lot of good people. I really miss Harold Fowler, he was a really good guy,” said Catlett.

“When they interviewed me he said ‘Ralph why do you want this job.’ I said ‘well frankly I am bored in Valdosta...I need challenge.’ He saw me a couple of months after I started here, I must have looked bewildered, he said ‘you’re not bored now are you.’”

Catlett and his wife Cindy are moving back to Lowndes County. It is not that they don’t like Richmond Hill it is more that the draw to Valdosta is too strong, it is home. All totaled the time Catlett spent in the Valdosta and Lowndes County fire departments, and while stationed at Moody Air Force Base, adds up to more than 30 years.

“It is bittersweet leaving, I really like it here,” he said.

When asked why he was retiring Catlett replied that it was time.

“My daughter is married to an Air Force master sergeant, they are stationed in England, they will be coming back here in about a year. My other grandkids are in Valdosta, they are getting up to the age where it is Little League football and baseball time. I have always coached Little League football and baseball so it is my turn to coach them,” he said.

“So I’ll just hang out with my grandkids, do a lot a bass fishing, I am an avid bass fisherman, I fish a lot of tournaments.”

Catlett also plans to hunt play a little golf and and travel.

“I have never been to Yellowstone National Park, I want to go there. ... I have never really seen a lot of the United States. So I want to go see it, I want to see what’s out there,” he said. “Basically I just want to enjoy the years I have left.”

Among the Richmond Hill officials who spoke praises of Catlett at the end of Tuesday’s meeting was Police Chief Mitch Shores.

“That man has been invaluable, he has been a tremendous help to me, he gave me a place to vent. And if I had to describe Chief Catlett with one word I would say class…,” Shores said.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.